Posts
Hello - my name is Natalie, and I am going to hike the 1000+ mile Ice Age Trail that dips and dives through good ol' WISCONSIN! The program Warrior Hike is sponsoring me and you can check it all out at www.warriorhike.org With that said, this is my personal blog so if I say something dumb, its not their fault.
It is three days before I start to hike and I have been telling myself I need to get a blog up and going for about three months. Procrastinate much?
About two weeks ago I finally started to putz with my gear. I got some saaaweeet gear from sponsors of the Warrior Hike. I also got some saweeet gear from the capabilities of my wallet. However, besides playing with it, it has not been put through any strenuous tests. Guess we will see how it holds up.
TRUTH: I don't know if I have all the right gear... I do know that I bought a pair of undies that cost 22 dollars. Not sure I will get over that. They better be magnificent and make me feel fresh as daisies even on day six of no shower... OR ELSE. I am fully anticipating my first week to include many discoveries of things I never used and things I by golly gee wiz wished I had in my bag. Bring it on. I have plenty of peanut butter to get me through the first week, at least and that takes no cooking, just a spoon.
I haven't done very many weight saving tricks. In fact I have done a total of ONE. I dried out my baby wipes. Feel fairly proud of that. Seems like weight would be a bigger issue to me right now since my version of hell is hiking (rucking for those military-inclined folks) with boots that give you blisters the size of a 3-piece Bubbleicious bubble, with a crazy heavy pack (or moving furniture through an obstacle course with a partner you can't communicate with, they go left with the couch, you go right and your shin is a bloody mess).
But I digress. The point I am failing to make is that I expect this hike will be a learn-as-I-go process. To see what gear, food, weight etc works for me when I am going the hiking distance. I am mentally prepared to call myself silly, I have a lot of practice, and make the corrections; then write it down in my handy dandy notebook so I know for next time - next time being when the amazing support system of Warrior Hike and my WI family and friends are not readily available.
With that, I have one or two very last minute things to pick up and then I need to spread out all contents yet again and repack... one final time before hitting the trail. EEEK, bubble belly. The time right before an activity/new experience is always the most daunting to me. Once I am in it - I'm good to go.
PERFECT STARTING QUOTE from the book "The Monk who Sold His Ferrari" by Robin Sharma. (Wrote this down on February 10th when reading that very good book.)
"The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step"
Can that BE a more perfect quote for a person striving to join the elite group of the Thousand-milers!?
It is three days before I start to hike and I have been telling myself I need to get a blog up and going for about three months. Procrastinate much?
About two weeks ago I finally started to putz with my gear. I got some saaaweeet gear from sponsors of the Warrior Hike. I also got some saweeet gear from the capabilities of my wallet. However, besides playing with it, it has not been put through any strenuous tests. Guess we will see how it holds up.
Managed to set up my tent in a harsh living room environment. (I like to do my best to simulate real life conditions). And I did not scorch myself or blow anything up my first time boiling water. Hooray!
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| Thank you sponsors!! |
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| In all seriousness though... who doesn't like coming home to a box that a grown person can fit into that is filled with glorious outdoor gear? WHO? |
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| First time laying it all on the line (bed) |
TRUTH: I don't know if I have all the right gear... I do know that I bought a pair of undies that cost 22 dollars. Not sure I will get over that. They better be magnificent and make me feel fresh as daisies even on day six of no shower... OR ELSE. I am fully anticipating my first week to include many discoveries of things I never used and things I by golly gee wiz wished I had in my bag. Bring it on. I have plenty of peanut butter to get me through the first week, at least and that takes no cooking, just a spoon.
I haven't done very many weight saving tricks. In fact I have done a total of ONE. I dried out my baby wipes. Feel fairly proud of that. Seems like weight would be a bigger issue to me right now since my version of hell is hiking (rucking for those military-inclined folks) with boots that give you blisters the size of a 3-piece Bubbleicious bubble, with a crazy heavy pack (or moving furniture through an obstacle course with a partner you can't communicate with, they go left with the couch, you go right and your shin is a bloody mess).
But I digress. The point I am failing to make is that I expect this hike will be a learn-as-I-go process. To see what gear, food, weight etc works for me when I am going the hiking distance. I am mentally prepared to call myself silly, I have a lot of practice, and make the corrections; then write it down in my handy dandy notebook so I know for next time - next time being when the amazing support system of Warrior Hike and my WI family and friends are not readily available.
With that, I have one or two very last minute things to pick up and then I need to spread out all contents yet again and repack... one final time before hitting the trail. EEEK, bubble belly. The time right before an activity/new experience is always the most daunting to me. Once I am in it - I'm good to go.
PERFECT STARTING QUOTE from the book "The Monk who Sold His Ferrari" by Robin Sharma. (Wrote this down on February 10th when reading that very good book.)
"The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step"
Can that BE a more perfect quote for a person striving to join the elite group of the Thousand-milers!?
